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  • India Quantum Pulse

NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION

India's National Quantum Mission: four hubs, one goal.

A ₹6,003.65 crore, eight-year programme to build India's capability in quantum computing, communication, sensing and materials.

Approved 19 April 2023. Implemented by Department of Science & Technology (DST). The four Thematic Hubs were established in FY 2024-25 as Section-8 companies and are operational.

Jump to:Overview·Governance·Thematic Hubs·Goals·Timeline·Directory·Updates

Overview & Budget

National capital outlay, research participation, and eight-year programme timeline.

Total Outlay
₹6,003.65 Cr
Hubs
4
Technical groups
14
Institutions
43

152 researchers across 17 states and 2 union territories.

BUDGET DISCLOSURE NOTE

Total Cabinet-approved outlay of ₹6,003.65 crore over an eight-year window (FY 2023–24 to FY 2030–31). No official year-by-year parliamentary budget breakdown has been made public by DST or PIB. Unofficial annualized projections circulating online are not government-confirmed.

202320242025202620272028202920302031

44% of mission period elapsed

Timeline shows elapsed programme period, not delivery progress.

Governance & Statutory Architecture

Tiered national governance model linking apex inter-ministerial policy with decentralized technical foundations.

STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT

Mission Governing Board (MGB)

Chair: Dr. Ajai Chowdhry

Apex steering body providing strategic direction, inter-ministerial policy, and implementation roadmap approval.

TECHNICAL BENCHMARKING

Mission Technology Research Council (MTRC)

Assisted under the scientific leadership of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India

Apex technical body responsible for technical direction, project evaluation, and scientific benchmarking.

ADMINISTRATIVE CORE

Mission Coordination Cell (MCC)

Host: Department of Science and Technology (DST)

Central administrative coordinating agency liaising between the Mission Secretariat, MTRC, and the four Thematic Hubs.

Thematic Hubs

Four non-profit Section-8 corporate entities established in FY 2024–25 to anchor technical delivery.

Quantum Computing

Foundation for QC Innovation (FQCI)

IISc Bengaluru · https://qcinnovation.co.in

Superconducting transmons, neutral atom arrays, trapped ions, and photonic quantum computing.

Quantum Communication

IITM C-DOT Samgnya Technologies Foundation

IIT Madras (with C-DOT) · IIT Madras Research Park

2,000 km terrestrial QKD mesh, satellite QKD, trusted repeaters, and telecom standards.

Quantum Sensing & Metrology

Qmet Tech Foundation

IIT Bombay · https://qmettech.com

Diamond NV center magnetometers, portable gravimeters, atomic clocks, and NextSense incubation.

Quantum Materials & Devices

QMD Foundation

IIT Delhi · https://qmdhub.co.in

Superconductors, 2D topological materials, SNSPD single-photon detectors, and cleanroom foundries.

Goals

Key technical targets and performance milestones across the eight-year mission window.

  • Quantum computing

    Intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50–1000 physical qubits within eight years, on platforms such as superconducting and photonic.

  • Secure quantum communication

    Satellite-based secure quantum communication between ground stations over 2,000 km within India, plus inter-city quantum key distribution over 2,000 km and multi-node quantum networks.

  • Quantum sensing & metrology

    Precision sensing and measurement technologies.

  • Quantum materials & devices

    Materials and device technologies for quantum systems.

Mission Evolution & History Timeline

From basic scientific inquiry under QuEST to nationwide infrastructure and quantum standards.

  1. 2018–2019

    DST QuEST Programme

    Demonstrated

    Department of Science & Technology launched the Quantum Enabled Science & Technology (QuEST) programme with an ₹80 crore budget, financing 51 academic research projects across IISc Bengaluru, Raman Research Institute (RRI), and TIFR Mumbai to build early single-photon setups and laser-cooling apparatus.

  2. 2020

    Union Budget Policy Announcement (NM-QTA)

    Reported

    Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the planned National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA) with an intended ₹8,000 crore outlay over 5 years, elevating quantum technology to national strategic priority.

  3. 2021

    QSim Platform Launch

    Deployed

    MeitY, C-DAC, IISc Bengaluru, and IIT Roorkee jointly rolled out QSim (Quantum Computer Simulator Toolkit), India's first cloud-accessible quantum simulation workbench on PARAM high-performance computing clusters.

  4. Dec 2021

    Army Quantum Lab at MCTE Mhow

    Deployed

    The Indian Army, backed by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), established the dedicated Quantum Laboratory at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) in Mhow, MP, focusing on military QKD and tactical crypto systems.

  5. Feb 2022

    100+ km Dark-Fiber Inter-City QKD

    Demonstrated

    DRDO and IIT Delhi successfully demonstrated continuous Quantum Key Distribution over a commercial dark-fiber link exceeding 100 kilometres between Prayagraj and Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh.

  6. Oct 2022

    National Telecom QKD Standard (TEC GR 91000:2022)

    Deployed

    The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) under DoT published TEC GR 91000:2022, establishing baseline generic requirements for Quantum Key Distribution systems in telecom networks (released 26 October 2022).

  7. Apr 2023

    Cabinet Sanctions National Quantum Mission

    Deployed

    The Union Cabinet formally approved the National Quantum Mission with an outlay of ₹6,003.65 crore over an eight-year execution window (FY 2023–24 to FY 2030–31).

  8. 2024–2025

    Section-8 Thematic Hubs & Standards Suite

    Deployed

    Four independent Section-8 companies were formally incorporated at IISc, IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, and IIT Delhi. TEC published standards TEC 91020:2024 (QRNG), TEC 91010:2023 (Quantum-Safe Cryptography), and TEC 910018:2025 (PQC Migration).

  9. Nov 2025

    500 km Multi-Node QKD Demonstration

    Demonstrated

    QNu Labs and the Indian Army's Southern Command Signals demonstrated a 500 km multi-node QKD network across the Rajasthan sector using the Quantum Suraksha Kavach (QSK) rack over existing dark fiber, announced at ESTIC 2025.

  10. 2026

    Hardware Maturation & Dilution Refrigeration

    Demonstrated

    DRDO Technology Development Fund signed agreement with Zero mK India for 20 mK dilution refrigerators (mentored by SSPL); PRAGATI Q-Foundry commercialization summit convened; QpiAI 25-qubit Indus transmon processor deployed for pilot institutional access.

  11. 2026–2031

    Nationwide Grid & Satellite Payloads (Targets)

    Target

    Targeting 50–1,000 physical qubits across superconducting and neutral-atom platforms, ISRO SAQTI space-to-ground QKD satellite launch, a 2,000 km nationwide inter-city QKD backbone, and training 25,000 quantum specialists.

Explore Hubs

Dedicated thematic hubs across four primary quantum verticals.

  • Quantum Computing

    IISc Bengaluru · Bengaluru

    Intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50–1000 physical qubits within eight years, on platforms such as superconducting and photonic.

    Explore this hub →
  • Quantum Communication

    IIT Madras (with C-DOT) · Chennai

    Satellite-based secure quantum communication between ground stations over 2,000 km within India, plus inter-city quantum key distribution over 2,000 km and multi-node quantum networks.

    Explore this hub →
  • Quantum Sensing & Metrology

    IIT Bombay · Mumbai

    Precision sensing and measurement technologies.

    Explore this hub →
  • Quantum Materials & Devices

    IIT Delhi · New Delhi

    Materials and device technologies for quantum systems.

    Explore this hub →

NQM news

Curated India quantum ecosystem stories and hub dispatches.

  • ECOSYSTEM

    Samsung And IISc Open A New Lab For Quantum Research In India

    via Quantum Zeitgeist · Oct 20, 2026 · 1 min read

  • INDIA

    IIT Bombay scientists fix quantum insufficiency | Tap to know more | Inshorts

    via Inshorts · Oct 19, 2026 · 1 min read

  • RESEARCH

    MIT Bengaluru Inaugurates Q-HUB@MAHE and Deploys QuantrolOx’s Open-Architecture VIDYAQAR Quantum System

    via Quantum Computing Report · Oct 17, 2026 · 1 min read

  • INDIA

    From Ancient Indian Wisdom to Quantum Mysteries: Hubhawks Presents Shamit Bagchi’s Bloodstone at Frankfurt 2026

    via Tribuneindia · Oct 17, 2026 · 1 min read

  • INDIA

    India to take a leap in quantum, NM-ICPS 2.0 in works: DST Secy Waghmare

    via Economictimes · Oct 16, 2026 · 1 min read

  • RESEARCH

    Samsung and IISc Bangalore Establish Collaborative Quantum Research Laboratory

    via Gktoday · Oct 16, 2026 · 2 min read

  • ECOSYSTEM

    IISc and Samsung Open Quantum Research Lab in Bengaluru

    via Siliconindia · Oct 16, 2026 · 1 min read

  • INDIA

    Samsung's India chip research arm opens quantum lab at IISc

    via Digitimes · Oct 16, 2026 · 1 min read

  • POLICY

    Samsung Semiconductor, IISc set up quantum research lab

    via Economictimes · Oct 15, 2026 · 1 min read

  • INDIA

    IISc, Samsung open quantum lab to advance research in next-gen technology - The Times of India

    via Indiatimes · Oct 15, 2026 · 1 min read

Sources

Official departmental and Cabinet approvals.

  • Department of Science and Technology — National Quantum Mission
  • Press Information Bureau — Cabinet approval, 19 April 2023

Source: DST / PIB · verified 2026-09-24

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